What did I do to my beer?!

natewv · 01-23-2012, 08:10 PM

So this is my 3rd all grain, 12th or so overall, but the first in which I have used leaf/whole hops to dryhop.

It is a hoppy wheat (I used cuinrearview's gumballhead inspired WPA recipe), and I made a PM of it once that was my favorite beer I have made, but this tastes very very "lemony" and acidy. Anyway here is the damage. Is there anything I can do or do I dump the keg?

Also, what could I have done wrong? I've never had anything like this happen. I fermented for 5 weeks (longer than I wanted) and I did not use a secondary so the only time the fermenter was open was when I dryhopped a week in, and the vodka in the airlock was still present at the end. GRRRRR. Since I'm in the midst of a couple house projects, I have nothing in the pipeline and this was going to hold me over for awhile.

**NordeastBrewer77** · 01-23-2012, 08:11 PM

you dry hopped for 4 weeks? that's probably where the off flavor's coming from. that's a long time to dry hop, a week or so is more the norm.

natewv · 01-23-2012, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NordeastBrewer77

you dry hopped for 4 weeks? that's probably where the off flavor's coming from. that's a long time to dry hop, a week or so is more the norm.

ok i didn't know that. Did you look at the pictures (2nd link)?

natewv · 01-23-2012, 09:01 PM

In case anyone missed the pictures, they are in the link... Here it is as well.

http://imgur.com/a/kxp89

postal_penguin · 01-23-2012, 09:40 PM

Definitely looks infected judging by those white bubbles. If it was me, who has a fiancee who likes lambics, I'd dump some lambic blend in and some fruit puree and let it go for 6 months.

**NordeastBrewer77** · 01-23-2012, 09:56 PM

i'm sorry, but i don't see an infection there, just some soggy hops and a couple yeast rafts. i'd say the grassy/lemony off flavor is from a very long dry hop. unless it was chilled during the 4 week dry hop, that would produce some very grassy, vegetal and even tart off flavors.